


Missed Connections

by Goose_Goddess



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 19:44:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5428385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goose_Goddess/pseuds/Goose_Goddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Future AU where people advertise themselves on Temp-Terminals, hoping to find connections. Merlin hates the amount of privacy lost through technology, and refuses to wear the interface needed to use the Temp-Terminals. Then he sees a face on the Temp-Terminal that he just can't forget--Arthur's. And he has no way of finding this man who now haunts his dreams.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Missed Connections

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry for the December 14/15 entry in the AUIdeas Advent Calendar. Here's the prompt:
> 
> “Temp-Terminal” AU  
> In a world where nearly everything has become an advertisement, people have been promoting themselves as a decent human being even more intensely through the use of “Temp-Terminal,” which are posters that advertise the visages of specific people - with the population of the world only rising, simply meeting someone in a coffee shop is practically unheard of. 
> 
> Character A is mostly against the concept, so they abstained from what had become the obligatory wrist band that collected information from the Temp-Terminals throughout the day. However, they regretted every decision they had ever made up to that moment when they saw Character B on one of the screens, only to see them disappear without a trace moments later, just like they always do. In a world such as the one they were living in, everything had become painfully temporary.

Merlin frowned and tapped his foot impatiently, glaring at the line ahead of him heading to the subway turnstile. He had five minutes to get to the track or he was going to miss his train. The man currently trying to get through the turnstile was clearly a tourist and didn’t have any idea how to insert his token in the turnstile. At times like this, he almost regretted not getting the latest conlation device implanted. Conlation users just walked through the speed pass lane and didn’t have to wait on tourists, drunks, or pan handlers. 

Merlin sighed. The draw backs of having a Conlation device were just too high. While it might save him a few minutes of time on the subway, having the government aware of his location and bio scan data at all points, not to mention the feedback provided to advertisers, was just too high a cost.

“Sir,” Merlin leaned forward and tapped the tourist on the shoulder. When the man glanced at him, he pointed from the token to the coin slot located on the end of the turnstile. 

The man smiled and managed to insert the coin, turn the bar, and get himself through the turnstile. Merlin was through scant seconds later and rushing to his track. He dodged around other tourists standing still along the halls, staring at the wall to wall displays showing advertisements, news features, and the Temp-Terminal posts. Merlin ignored the glaring displays, focused solely on making it to his train.

He got to the track as the doors to his train were just starting to slide closed. He ran and just managed to jump through the door before they closed completely.

The train was, of course, full. He grabbed the nearest bar and stood braced against the motion. Unfortunately, that meant he was facing a Temp-Terminal, and had no way to avoid seeing the larger than life faces of the people’s bios that played on them. They were nothing more than single’s ads. People, desperate to meet someone, created 30 second ads extolling their virtues and interests. Then flashing a QR code you could scan with your Conlation device. Viewers could scan the QR code and reach the person. Merlin frowned, staring blankly at the ads. Men, women, all looking for that special person. 

He groaned and looked around the train. Social norms meant he couldn’t do more than glance however. With the world as crowded as it was, looking at people you didn’t know was considered rude and intrusive. He swung his eyes back to the Temp-Terminal and froze.

The man on the screen was breathtaking. He had blond hair and brilliant blue eyes, but it was the look in those eyes that made Merlin’s breath catch in this throat. He looked like he was laughing internally. Like he found life funny. That look made Merlin want. His voice was nice. Deep, and amused, and running over Merlin like a flood of warm honey. His name and QR code appeared. Arthur, and an obviously personalized code, shaped like a dragon. Then it was gone and another ad for another person popped up.

Merlin shook his head, trying to clear it. It felt like that image had been burned into his mind. He could still hear that voice in his ears. He laughed at himself. Great. He didn’t believe in love at first sight, didn’t believe in soulmates. And here he was, fixated on a blonde man he had absolutely no chance of ever finding again. Just his luck. He dropped his head forward, knocking his forehead against the pole he was holding.

****

Merlin was sure that he would eventually forget about the blonde. But each morning he woke up after dreaming about him. He found himself day dreaming about those eyes while eating his sandwich at lunch. And each night, as he rode home on the train he wished he could see that face again on the Temp-Terminal.

Finally, after two weeks, he admitted he might have a problem. He knew the odds of ever finding this “Arthur” were a million to one. Maybe even worse. All he had to go on were his memory of the man’s face, his first name, and that odd QR code. He knew the only chance he really had was that QR code. He only knew one person who might help, and he sent a message to Mordred to meet that night after work. 

Mordred always insisted on meeting in coffee shops with free wifi. He refused to meet anywhere else. So, they met at Camelot Coffee. It had free wifi (per Mordred’s requirements) as well as decent coffee (per Merlin’s.) 

Merlin arrived a few minutes late. He’d missed his train due to an entire troop of students traveling home from a field trip. They had wandered around, filling the entire hallway and making it impossible for anyone to get through.

Mordred was seated at one of the booths near the back of the shop, drinking a huge cup of coffee and typing away on his laptop. 

Merlin ordered himself a cup of tea, and a second cup of coffee for Mordred. When he got his drinks, he took the seat across from Mordred, pushing the new coffee across to the other man.

Mordred looked up and nodded. “Merlin.”

“Brought you more caffeine.” Merlin said, taking a sip of his tea.

Mordred grinned. “Just in time. This one is nearly done.” 

“I figured. After all, I was nearly ten minutes late.”

Mordred laughed. “So what’s up?”

Merlin sighed. “I need your help. I’m trying to find someone from a Temp-Terminal ad.”

Mordred raised an eyebrow. “You? Mister I don’t want to share my information with anyone, so I will not get saddled with that new tech crap?”

Merlin snorted. “You should talk. You have more aliases than MI5.”

Mordred grinned. “Well, that’s only sensible. If you had any idea how many details are available online.”

Merlin smiled back. “Yeah, you’ve told me. Who do you think is responsible for my not trusting the new tech anyhow?”

“So. On to this person you need help finding. Tell me about them.”

Merlin frowned. “I don’t have much. You know how little they have in the ads. I know what he looks like, tall, blonde, blue eyes. And his first name is Arthur.”

Mordred frowned. “Really? Do you at least know when the ad was on?”

“I know the day. And about the time—it was during my trip home from work. But that’s about it.” 

Mordred frowned. “Well, I might be able to help, but it’s a long shot….”

“Oh! And his QR code. It’s one of those personalized ones. It looked like a dragon.” 

Mordred grinned. “Now that is helpful. It’s expensive to get a personalized QR. We can hack into the companies that specialize in custom QRs and see who has done a dragon. I can also try and hack into the ad stream from the day you saw the ad. I can’t guarantee anything, but we might actually have a chance.”

****

It was nearly a week later before Merlin heard from Mordred. But fortunately, he had good news. 

“Arthur Pendragon.” He announced as they met at Camelot Coffee. “He lives in Albion.”

Merlin looked at the scrap of paper Mordred handed him with the information. 

“His father apparently has been pushing for him to marry and provide an heir to the family. One of those old blood families that think blood is important. Arthur is holding out for a love match, however. His father gave him one year, and he posted on Temp-Terminal to try and find someone. So far he’s not been successful.”

Merlin frowned and stared out the window. He hadn’t really expected Mordred to find him a name. He’d really only made the attempt because he knew he’d regret it forever if he didn’t. But he didn’t know what to do now that he did have the name of the man whose face haunted his dreams.

“So, what next?” Mordred asked. “Are you going to get a Conlation and contact him? I did include the QR code for you. Or are you going to try and run into him?”

Merlin shook his head in confusion. “I… I don’t really know.” He looked at Mordred. “I’m going to have to think about it…”

Mordred took another big gulp of his coffee. “That may be, but you better think fast if you’re going to do anything. His father’s deadline is up in two months. You don’t have much time to figure out what you’re going to do.”

Merlin stared at him in shock. “Two months? I have two months to figure out what I want to do, and do it?” his voice was nearly a squeak. 

Mordred toasted him with his coffee. “Well, good luck to you. Enjoy.” He got up, closed his laptop, and left the shop leaving Merlin to his thoughts.


End file.
